Bengals will have to fight a familiar battle this offseason and their chances of losing this time are higher
If the losing continues for the Cincinnati Bengals this season, coaching changes will be imminent. It could go as high as head coach Zac Taylor, but the more likely outcome will be his staff changing.Taylor had to undergo changes last year when offensive coordinator Brian Callahan left for the Tennessee Titans head coaching job. Cincinnati […]
If the losing continues for the Cincinnati Bengals this season, coaching changes will be imminent. It could go as high as head coach Zac Taylor, but the more likely outcome will be his staff changing.
Taylor had to undergo changes last year when offensive coordinator Brian Callahan left for the Tennessee Titans head coaching job. Cincinnati ended up promoting quarterbacks coach Dan Pitcher to take Callahan's job, but not before fending off other teams who wanted Pitcher to become their OC.
If the Bengals want to keep Pitcher around for 2025, they'll likely have to do the same in a couple months.
Bengals OC Dan Pitcher among future NFL head coach candidates
As the coordinator of one of the best passing offenses in the NFL, Pitcher will likely garner interest for other teams looking to restart with a talented offensive mind. The 37-year old may not call plays for the Bengals, but he has a large leadership role with the team and staff in just his first year at the position. Part of that is meeting with quarterback Joe Burrow yesterday morning to kickstart bye week work.
Pitcher has been with the Bengals since before Taylor was brought in as head coach. He's taken on numerous roles as an assistant, which has allowed him to develop different skills and qualities to become an influential leader of the coaching staff. A jump to becoming a head coach feels like the naturally progression when the time comes, and it could be after this season concludes.
NFL Media's Tom Pelissero included Pitcher in his annual coaches to watch for the upcoming hiring cycle for these reasons:
"When Brian Callahan left for Tennessee in January, Zac Taylor promoted Pitcher, who doesn't call plays — that's Taylor — but puts together most of the game plan with input from other coaches and collaborates with Taylor leading up to and on game day. Pitcher also addresses the offense three days a week and the entire team on a weekly basis, giving him a taste of running the show. Record notwithstanding, Cincinnati ranks sixth in scoring (27 points per game) and Joe Burrow is playing at an MVP level. Pitcher's background in personnel and level demeanor are clear assets for a potential head coach." – NFL Media's Tom Pelissero
Pitcher is no longer an aspiring assistant looking to make the jump to the coordinator level. He's one of the main reasons why quarterback Joe Burrow is putting up gaudy numbers despite the team's 4-7 record. There's still immense value in building a team under a head coach who can maximize a franchise QB, and Pitcher's track record has only strengthened over the past 10 months.
Not only will Pitcher have interest to fill head coaching vacancies, the Bengals will have less power to stop him from moving on unlike last year. They were able to offer him a promotion to avoid leaving elsewhere for the same elevation. They can't offer him another promotion without firing their own head coach Zac Taylor, who promoted Pitcher himself.
Pitcher could always decline head coaching opportunities in order to stay with the club he's been with since 2016, but if he interviews well with interested teams, there's a good chance he'll follow Callahan's footsteps and land a HC job elsewhere.
And just like last year, the Bengals would have to watch another OC walk out the door if it comes to that.
The Bengals will have no choice but to make some coaching changes this offseason after wasting an MVP-caliber year of Burrow, but this is a change they wouldn't want to make. It'll be up to Pitcher to decide if he wants to take that next step so soon.
‘I don’t call plays for us’ — Bengals WR Ja’Marr Chase’s frustration leads to a shot at Zac Taylor
Chase posted two touchdowns in Cincinnati’s deflating loss in Los Angeles.
